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When there is a sizable number of lawsuits against a company with similar causes of action, there is usually a movement to combine all of the trials so they are heard before one judge. It's a way to economize on judicial resources and eliminate duplicate efforts when it comes to gathering evidence, filing motions and other pretrial proceedings. This is what is currently happening in lawsuits against Janssen Pharmaceuticals regarding the Type 2 diabetic prescription drug, Invokana (canagliflozin).

Investors in Puerto Rico who claim UBS AG’s Puerto Rican affiliate misled them and cost many their life savings will not be able to pursue their claims in a class action lawsuit. A federal judge made the ruling last week, agreeing with a magistrate judge that not all the investors had been told the same thing and refused to certify their claims as a group.

In 2013, Peter Mougey, his wife Katrina and their two children received life changing news when Katrina was diagnosed with breast cancer. The young Pensacola family was shocked by the news and pulled together to support her.

“Because of early detection and innovative treatment, she is doing wonderful,” said Mougey, a business and securities attorney with the Levin, Papantonio Law Firm, in Pensacola, FL. “However, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lifetime and by joining together we can continue to improve treatment and research.”

Like so many other Big Pharma players, Janssen pulls out all the stops in its marketing efforts when it comes to Concerta. One of the big selling points of Concerta and other ADHD medication is it helps kids in getting better grades in school and completing their homework assignments. But does it, really?

Less than two weeks ago, The Ring of Fire reported that the FDA would finally be testing a wide range of food products for the presence of glyphosate, the active ingredient in the Monsanto herbicide Roundup. It didn't take long to find glysophate residues in a number of different baby foods. Specifically, elevated levels (up to 1.67 parts per million) of glysophate have been discovered in commercial oat meal products intended for infants.

The Levin, Papantonio Law Firm is proud to congratulate attorney and shareholder Troy Rafferty as the recipient of the 2016 Perry Nichols Award from the Florida Justice Association (FJA). The Perry Nichols Award is the highest award given by the FJA and it is presented to an attorney whose perseverance, commitment, and unmatched dedication to the civil justice system is at the forefront of their lives. Mr. Rafferty will be presented with the award at the Florida Justice Association’s, Masters of Justice Convention in Orlando, on September 29.

The latest drug with harmful side effects now being targeted in litigation is an anti-psychotic medication known as aripiprazole, sold under the brand name Abilify as well as in generic forms. Now, to be fair, the company that manufactures Abilify, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, did warn that patients taking the product could be subject to uncontrollable impulse behaviors – among them, gambling addiction. This warning appeared on packaging in the European Union and Canada. However, until quite recently, there was no such warning on US packaging.

It took far too long, but as of this past August, the warning label for the diabetic drug Invokana (canagliflozin) was finally updated to include the risk of ketoacidosis. It was also updated for a rival drug, Farxiga (dapaglifozin), as well as Jardiance (empagliflozin). All three of these medications are part of the gliflozin class, which are designed to prevent the kidneys from reabsorbing blood sugar, allowing it to be passed in the urine.

A new report from the National Toxicology Program (NTP) confirms what some scientists and victims of C-8 exposure have been saying for years, that the chemical is hazardous to the human immune system. The recently released review found emissions of both perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), or C-8, and its close cousin, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), have been reduced, but remain widespread throughout the United States.

Most drivers have been forced to swerve suddenly when they come across debris in the road and they usually manage to avoid an accident or damage to their vehicle with a quick turn of the wheel. According to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, though, more than 200,000 crashes on U.S. roadways involved debris over the past four years. The study found road debris resulted in about 39,000 injuries and more than 500 deaths between 2011 and 2014.

Current lawsuits against chemical giant DuPont allege that its executives were aware of the toxicity of C8 for at least thirty years. However, their suspicions about the company's flagship product go back much further than that. According to information gleaned from internal company reports, scientists and senior executives, DuPont suspected there was something very wrong as early as the 1950s. Furthermore, the company's actions since that time cross the line from civil wrongdoing to criminal conduct.

While the diabetic medication Invokana (canagliflozin) has been implicated in the development ketoacidosis in patients, it is not the only prescription drug in its class to have such a serious side effect. It was well over a year ago (May 2015, to be exact) that the Food and Drug Administration issued a statement on receiving numerous reports of how the entire class of gliflozin drugs was causing dangerous ketoacidosis. In fact, during the two years prior to issuing that statement, the FDA had received in excess of 100 reports of serious kidney damage.

Come earn your free certificate from the People’s Law School! Join us every Tuesday in October (starting Oct. 4) from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. and learn about all those pesky legal questions that often pop up in your daily living. Issues like: What kind of insurance do you need? How do you know if you have a product liability case? How should your investor protect your money?

Earlier this year, an independent researcher working for a New Orleans-based law firm discovered some discrepancies between the number of unwanted pregnancies in women using Essure and the number that manufacturer Bayer actually reported to the Food and Drug Administration.

At first, IVC (inferior vena cava) filters seemed to be a great idea. Anticoagulant medications can be tricky, causing an elevated risk of serious hemorrhaging, and some patients cannot handle them at all. Placing a small metal cage into the primary artery leading to the heart and lungs in order to trap clots and prevent them from reaching it appeared to be the ideal solution. So, why is it that this particular cure has proven to be worse than the disease?

"I am so appreciative of the hard work and dedication that you put forth on my case. I cannot thank you enough for making my mom and I feel so comfortable throughout this whole process. You are one amazing lawyer. I wish you the best and I wanted to let you know that I will never forget you!"

"I want to express my deepest appreciation for all the hard work you and your team did for my father. I can’t tell you the words to tell you how impressed I was with the passion that you showed through the process. While I know that this is what you do for a living, it is obvious that you care deeply about your clients. In every conversation, and particularly at mediation, it was clear to me that you do this out of deep compassion for the fair treatment of your clients."

"I just wanted to take a moment to thank your firm for the Outstanding efforts by your firm on behalf of my wife! This was a time of great hardship for my wife and myself. She had a serious stroke, multiple surgery’s, DVT’s and was given less than 50/50 to live, but after 43 days in the hospital she has continued to improve over the last 6yrs. After 25yrs in corporate America, I have had a great number of interactions with law firms, both business and personal. NEVER, have I had the pleasure of working with 2 such great professionals, that were of course knowledgeable, but supported us in every way."

"Your team has been kind, responsive and willing to go the extra mile when other law firms refused to take my case. My family and I appreciate all that you have done for us. Now we can move on with our lives, thanks to you."

"Just a note to say what a pleasure it was to work with you and the great folks at Levin Law. Everyone seemed eager to help and so accommodating. Even though the task felt so overwhelming for me at times, the encouraging words from Kim, Kristian and others kept me motivated to move ahead. Thank you again for getting the claim settled in such a professional way."

"I can't say enough about all the wonderful people we dealt with at your Firm. From the receptionist, legal assistants and paralegals. All were professional and most helpful. We were treated with great respect and as if we were your only client."

"We are so thankful to Virginia Buchanan for the countless hours of time and her dedication to us during this ordeal. She has a heart of gold and her integrity sets her apart. . . . At a time when nothing seemed certain, Virginia provided me a caring ear and encouragement which was critical to my well-being and emotional wellness. She brings her whole heart with her and makes you feel as though your’re the reason she woke up that day."